Abstract

Nine diethyl alpha-acetamido, alpha-alkylmalonates 3-11 (alkyl=methyl, benzyl, 3-fluorobenzyl, 4-fluorobenzyl, 2,6-difluorobenzyl, 3-trifluoromethylbenzyl, 4-trifluoromethylbenzyl, 2-chlorobenzyl and 3-chlorobenzyl) have been synthesised in three steps starting with diethyl malonate in overall yields of 49-90%. The structures of C-alkylated acetamidomalonates have been established on the basis of their spectral data, the structures of two compounds 9 and 11 are also confirmed on the basis of their X-ray crystallographic studies. Further, the X-ray crystal structure of the chiral monoethyl ester of alpha-acetamidomalonic acid 1 has been studied. None of our C-alkylated acetamidomalonate has been found to be a substrate for lipase-catalysed enantiodifferentiating deesterification/ hydrolysis of the symmetric diester groups.